Stevenson recognized by Florida sheriffs for her support

Florida House member Cyndi Stevenson was in St Augustine today to be honored with the Florida Sheriff’s Association Legislative Champion Award, according to an announcement received by Historic City News Friday.

The award, presented by St Johns County Sheriff David B. Shoar, recognizes the former St Johns County Commissioner and member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 17, as being a staunch supporter of law enforcement and the sheriffs of Florida.

“In this year’s session, Representative Stevenson worked with the Florida Sheriffs Association to pass HB-969, relating to no-contact orders,” Shoar told local reporters. “HB-969 fixed an inadvertent glitch in SB-342, passed in 2015, that made overreaching changes to the types of cases where no-contact orders become immediately enforceable.”

When SB-342 passed, it was thought that this change only applied in domestic violence situations. After being enacted, it was quickly discovered that SB-342 created a situation where no-contact orders appeared to apply to every defendant in every case where there was a victim — even a corporate victim.

Since HB-969 was enacted, protection is ensured for victims of domestic violence who can obtain immediately enforceable no-contact orders against defendants; without subjecting defendants in other types of cases from such harsh, and usually unnecessary, action.